End-gate fastener



' and Improved End-Gate Fastener, of which UNITED STATES PATENT @EFI-CE.

SAMUEL IV. BELL, OF IVAYNESBOVROUGII, VIRGINIA.

EN D-GATE FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,033, dated December 24, 1895.

- Application tiled May 31, 1895. Serial No. 551,201. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL XV. BELL, of IVaynesborough, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented a new the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved end-gate fastener which is simple and durable in construction, arranged to securely hold the end-gate in place and to permit of quickly loosening it for convenient removal.

The invention consists principally of a link connected with one side of a wagon-bod y and extending beyond the other side, and a lever ulcrumed on the opposite side of the wagonbody and formed with a recessed projection adapted to be engaged by the said link.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improvement as applied, and Fig. 2 is a section al plan view of the same.

The end-gate A is fitted to slide loosely in sets of cleats B and B', attached to the inside of the sides C and C, respectively, of the wagon-body I). In the outer end of the side C is arranged a screw-rod E, which extends through the outermost cleat B, and is provided with a nut E for screwing up the said screw-rod to bring the several parts in proper relation to each other, as hereinafter more fully described.

The inner end of the screw-rod E is formed with an eye E2 connected by a transverse rod F with a link G adapted to extend beyond the side C', to engage at its outer end a recess H', formed in a projection H2 extending from the fulcrum end of a lever II, pivoted at I in a bracket J, bolted orotherwise fastened to the outer face of the side C'. The projection H2 is of such a height as to be flush with the top and bottom surfaces of the bracket J, so that the link G can be passed over the bracket J at the fulcrum end of the lever, the said link also passing through slots in the outer end of the side C and the outermost cleat B', as is plainly shown in the drawings.

Now it will be seen that by the construction described the lever H, when in an open position, can be readily engaged at its recess H by the outermost end of the link G after the end-gate A 'is inserted in the sets of cleats B and B'. The operator now swings the lever H inward into the position shown in Fig. lthatis, until the lever II rests close to the bracket J. Now during this inward swinging motion of the lever II the projection II2 pulls on the link G, so as to draw the two sides C and C' toward each other to bind the endgate A in place between the sides C and Ci. The end-gate is thus securely fastened in position.

When it is desired to remove the end-gate, the operator takes hold of the free curved end H3 of the lever H and pulls the same outward into the position shown in Fig. 2, so that the strain on the lever H and connecting-rod F is released, and the sides C and C of the wagon-body are free to move out of their binding position relative to the gate A to permit of conveniently sliding the latter out o the cleats B and B. i

It will be seen that when it is desired the link G is readily disengaged or unhooked from the recess H to permit the said link and connecting-rod F to hang downward from the eye E2, so that the end of the wagon-body is completely unobstructed after the gate A is removed. It will further be seen that by having the clamping-lever H completely on the outside of the wagon-body it will not obstruct the loading or unloading of the wagonbody from the rear end.

It will be seen that by making the screwrod E adjustable the rod F and link G can be adjusted relative to the recess Hf of th'e lever l-I, so as to take up any slack in the said link and rod and permit of binding the sides C and C' on the end-gate upon closing the lever.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A wagon body having an en d gate and having notches in the rear edge oi' one of its side portions, a bracket secured longitudinally along the outer side of the notched side por- IOO tion and having its rear extremity located between the notches, said bracket being provided With two outwardly projecting lugs, a cam lever fulcrurned between the lugs of the bracket and having a notch in its camined portion, the lever also having a handle-piece formed With a curve therein whereby it may be grasped, a rod fixed to the side of the body opposite the side having the bracket, and a link positively pivotedto the rod and arranged 1 o to pass into the notches in the body portion and to be removably itted in the eamlned portion of the lever, substantially as described.

SAMUEL WV. BELL. Witnesses:

W. H. PATTERSON, J. FRANK WILLsoN. 

